The New York Rangers won the NHL’s Presidents’ Trophy award as the best regular-season team but fell short of winning the Stanley Cup Final.
While the Rangers were not far from reaching the final round of the playoffs, falling in the conference finals to the Florida Panthers, it feels they still need at least one more piece to get over the hump.
Peter Baugh of The Athletic discussed a trade idea submitted by reader Jeff F. in a mailbag published on June 17 that could land New York that final star from the Ottawa Senators.
“K’Andre Miller and Kaapo Kakko for Brady Tkachuk and a pick: who says no?” reader Jeff F. asked Baugh.
The reader reasoned that such a trade would work as the salaries exchanged are “close to a wash.” Moreover, he thinks this trade would have the Rangers’ “Right wing solved,” while also fixing other issues present in New York’s roster.
“Zac Jones moves into Miller’s spot with Braden Schneider, and Trouba has a low-cost free agent partner,” the reader said.
The trade idea and the reader’s explanation allowed Baugh to comment on the potential idea. For Rangers fans, however, the answer wasn’t the one they’d probably want to read.
“Ottawa’s front office would hang up immediately. That’s not nearly enough for Brady Tkachuk, who is on a long-term deal and has 30-plus goals each of the past three seasons,” Baugh wrote.
First Hurdle: Senators Are Not Shopping Brady Tkachuk
The Senators drafted Tkachuk with the No. 4 pick in the 2018 draft. He’s been with the team ever since, appearing in 440 games after making his debut in the 2018-19 season already playing 71 games.
Tkachuk, 24, scored a career-high 37 goals in the 2024 season, adding 37 assists for 74 points in 81 games. In 440 career games with Ottawa, he has 162 goals and 349 points.
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